Southampton stadium expansion plan revealed

Southampton FC and the city council have announced joint plans to expand the club's stadium and create a new riverside development of homes and businesses.

The pair want to establish the St Mary's waterfront area as a "vibrant centre for sport and entertainment".

The club said it would receive much-needed income from the proposed development beside the River Itchen.

The 32,000-seater St Mary's Stadium hosted its first game in 2001 after the club moved from its former home at The Dell.

Southampton FC chief executive Phil Parsons said: "For the club to thrive and survive in the Premier League, we must increase our revenue streams, and developing the St Mary's Waterfront area is central to achieving that."

Southampton City Council leader Lorna Fielker added: "This is an exciting first step in bringing forward a unified vision for Southampton's future."

The partners said they would explore development options, with the aim of expanding St Mary's Stadium and creating a "commercial, leisure [and] residential" community with "accessible public spaces".

The work to establish the waterfront vision would take place "over the coming years", they said.

Saints won promotion to the Premier League in May but currently sit bottom of the table with five points after 15 matches.

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.